We believe in good science. 

We strive to produce thoughtful and detailed research that is indifferent to superficial trends or impact factor. We believe in rigor, both in conduct and in the data we collect. We look at our raw data (a lot), and we aim to clearly and convincingly see evidence of our primary results before we apply sophisticated statistics or data analyses.

We know that most science progresses through the gradual accumulation of knowledge. This means there is value in incremental research products, just as in those that completely shift scientific thinking. There are many ways we can maximize our research potential; as a lab, we emphasize the following:

First, hypothesis-driven science is critical but not the sole way to make significant contributions. We’ll set up experiments to have hypotheses, but we’ll also set up experiments to have data mining opportunities that may drive theory development. All projects will have both aspects - this way we are always making progress. 

Second, it’s important to realize when something is “complete enough.” We’ll work together to decide when an experiment is wrapped up or when to keep pushing. This decision will always factor in your career goals. These strategies will keep us moving forward but also leave opportunities for follow up work that may reinterpret our data. That’s ok. We know that being a scientist can mean being “right for now.”

We believe in team science. 

Our lab works together to create a supportive and equitable environment. We believe that diversity improves humanity (and neuroscience). Bigotry in any form will not be tolerated. 

We are each other's biggest champions. We practice mutual respect. It's natural to have disagreements and conflicts, but we’ll always resolve them with patience and empathy. 

Working well together is critical to everyone’s success because neuroscience is team science. It’s clear when you read any great paper: a complete experiment is composed of a confluence of smaller experiments managed by many scientists using multiple techniques and tools. It’s virtually impossible for any one individual to keep up by themselves; collaboration within our laboratory is key to our success. Each lab member will lead a specific project(s) but also potentially lend their specific skills and/or interests to the experiments of their colleagues. This can be as simple as helping to run a few animals, assisting in surgery, or sharing an analysis you’ve already got coded up. We’ll work together to decide what is helpful, and more importantly, manageable, for all parties. By approaching our questions with scientific camaraderie, everyone will produce higher quality work.

It’s critical that our team extends beyond our labmates, department, and university.  We are constantly looking for new collaborators and we try to make our science as open as possible. This means we share code, techniques, tools, and data whenever possible. 

Finally, our team would be incomplete without the animals who sacrifice their lives to our research pursuits. We make every effort to not waste life and to ensure that ‘everyone’ makes a contribution to our science.

We know that being a scientist is a privilege (and sometimes a curse). 

Very few people have the flexibility of pursuit that we enjoy. That said, being a scientist comes with inherent stresses and an intimate knowledge of failure. At times the work can be tedious, grueling, and exhausting. At its worst points, the job can feel meaningless. Through it all, we try to stay positive - both for ourselves and for our colleagues. To this end, wherever possible, we celebrate each other's accomplishments, regardless of scale.